Burial vault



NQv.1,1932. J G, MILLER 1,886,290

BURAL vAULT Filed Oct. 25, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l xmmmmmm Nov. l, 1932. J. G. MILLER 1,386,299

BURIAL VAULT Filed Oct. 25, 1931 2 Sheets-Shee'I '2 wm .a

Patented Nov. 1, 1932 nuns e- Mitten, or Barrato, NEWYORK l BURIAL vente' Appleman :ned encheres., 1931. semaine. 570,730. 'l

This inventionrel'ates to burial vaults and has for 'its primary 'object to provide, in a manneras hereinafter set forth, a device of this Vcharacter embodying' an end closure and including novel means for locking and sealing said end closure in position.

- VOther 4objectsof the invention are to provide a `burial fvault of the aforementioned characterwhich will be simple in construction, strong, durable, and which may be manufactured at `lovv cos Jfalli of the'foregoing and still further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification, taken in vconnection with the accomp'anyingf drawings, wherein likev characters of'refe'rence designate correspondingy parts throughout` the severalvievvs, and wherein: Y

l" Figure 1 is ai view inhorizontal cross section through a burial vault in accordance with `the 'present invention withV the end closure in position.

Figure2is a vieur in top plan showing'the end portion of the vault in Whichthc closure is disposed.

Figure 3 is a viewin invention. Y

Figure 4 is a view in vertical cross section l throughthe closure and the end portion of Figure 7 is a vieu7 in horizontal cross sec-` tion taken substantially on the line'7-7 of Figure 3. H

FigureS 1s a detail view 1n perspective of -l one of thevrlocliing bars.V

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it Will be seen that the burial vault constituting the present invention is designated generallyby the reference numeral 1, the same being preferably of concrete and comprising a bottom 2, side Walls 3, a top 4 of arcuate cross section, anda closed end 5. Y The other end of the vault is open.

The top 4, at the open end of the vault, is

f provided With the relatively offset, diagonal end elevation of the faces 6 and 7 which are connectedby the face S. The end closure which is designated by the reference numeral 9, is provided With an arcuate upper end having the'diagonal or beviV eled, relatively' offset faces 10 'and 11 `con-y nested by the face 12. The face 10 ofthe clo-V sure 9 is adapted for abutting engagement with the face 6 'of the top 4 and the face 11 -of said closure 9 is adapted for abutting engagement with the face 7 of the top-4. The faces 8 'and 12 are spaced from eachl other and, as'clearly Vseen in Figures 4 and 6 of the drawings, an arcuate chamber 13 is provided. across the upperaportion of the vault-said chamber-13 being `of polygonal cross lsection and'having a passage 14 extending therefrom tothe upper Vsurface of the top 4; Vat the open end of the vault the side vvallsV 3 are provided With the diagonal or beveled relatively loffset surfaces 15 and 16WhchareV connected byva channel 17. The vertical-sides of the end closure 9 are formed with the diagonal or beveled, relatively-odset faces'18 and'. 19 Which are connected-by a channel 20. The face 18 is adapted for abutting engagement With the face 15 and theface 19is forabutting engagement With the face 16. The chan- Y nel 20 is thus disposed in opposed relation to the channel 17. Thus it will beseen that the` channels 17 and 20, in conjunction With each other, provide substantially'rectangular passages Which eXtendfthe entire vertical length of the end closure' 91on each side thereof. Y

These passages are-'designated by the refer? ence numerals 21. The top 4 is provided with passages 22 disposed vertically and Which constitute extensions 'for 'the passages v21.',v

- The passages 13, 14, 21, and 22 all have ocnlf4 munication with each other. i Y Y The bottom 2 of the vault isprovided, at the open end of said vault, with al transverse channel 23 the outerivall of 'which' is conf stituted by a flange 24 having an inclined or beveled top 25. The lovverend and inner side of the end closure 9 is adapted for abutting" engagement With the bottom of, the channel 23 and the 'inner Wall thereof, vas clearly seenin Figure 5. The outerjportion ofthe llower end ofthe end closure 9 is; in'- 7 clined or beveled,`f"as at 26, for engagement'` on the inclined or beveled face of the ange 24. The beveled or inclined face 26 merges with the relatively angularly disposed faces 27 and 28 which, in conjunction with the bottom and outer walls of the channel 23 of the bottom 2 define a passage 29 communicating, at its ends, with the lower ends of the passages 21.

It will thus be seen that a continuous passage around the end closure 9 has been provided. The reference numeral 30-designates ing .one longitudinal edge engaged in the outer corner'of the channel 17 and the other longitudinal edge engaged in the inner corner of the channel 20 of the end closure 9.

rllhe locking bars 30 are of a width to fitr snugly diagonally inthe passages 21 and as said locking bars are driven downwardly into the passages the longitudinal edge there-k of which is beveled, as at 32, engages Vthe end closure vand forces the same into position. Suitable sealing material 33 is then poured into the passages 21 and 29 through the-eX- tension passages 22 and into-the passage '13 through the passage 14 or, if desired, all of the passages may be substantially lled through the passage 14.

If necessary or desirable to facilitate-the sealing operation, and in cold weather, a heating element or wire 34 may` be disposed around the edges ofthe end closure 9 in a manner to be disposed in the passages 13, 21 and 29 after the end closure has been disposedin position. This element "is then connected with a suitable source of electric current supply by any suitable means for heating the same for the purpose of preventing freezing of the sealing compound while the same is being poured into place so that the compound is set, formed and workable until itis in position, after which the connection from the wirefto' the electrical source is disconnected from the wire. In addition, the

y heating element or wire 34 constitutes a reineach other, passages for the reception of a sealing medium, and locking bars disposed 1in the sidev passages and each having one edge engaged with the vault and the other edge engaged with the closure for retaining said closure in position, the channel in the bottom of the vvault being of considerable width and the lower edge of the closure having a flange at its rear fitting in the -rear part of the last-mentioned channel, said iiange leaving the front part of the channel open.

2. A burial vaultopen at one end-andincluding a top, bottom, side walls,and an-end wall, a closure for the open end of the'vault, the marginal edges of the closure-and the adjacent portions of the vault having channels therein constituting, in conjunction with each other, communicating passages extending entirely around the closurev for the reception of a sealing medium, and elongated, perforated locking bars disposedin certain ofthe passages and having one longitudinal' edge engaged with the vault and the other longitudinal edge engaged with the closure for securing said closure in.l posit-ion.

3. A burial vault open at one end, `a closure for the open end of the vault, certainV of the marginal edges of the closure and adjacent portions of the vault having pairs of relatively offset, beveled faces for abutting engagement with eachother when theclosure is in position, said marginal edges :of *thel closure and adjacent portions of the lvault further having opposed channels thereinfconnecting the beveled faces, and, inconjunction with each other, constituting passages of polygonal cross section, and elongated, Hatv locking bars disposed in the passages and having one edge'engaged in a corner of the vault channels and their other edges engaged in the diagonally opposite corners of the closure passages for securing the closure in position.

In testimony whereof I aiiiX my signature.

JAMES G. MILLER. 

